92001E3025

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3025/01

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(23 October 2001)

Subject: Support for tourism and the Philoxenia programme

The terrorist attack of 11 September has caused a sharp decline in tourism. The number of travellers cancelling their journeys as shipping companies cancel cruises and airlines withdraw flights from their schedules is increasing at an exponential rate.

Given the importance of tourism in the European Union (it is the most job-creative sector, accounting for 13.5 % of GDP and directly employing 9 million people) and the grave situation which has developed since the terrorist attack on 11 September, does the Commission have data available concerning the medium-term impact of the crisis on tourism in the Union or the Member States? Does it intend to take any action? Does it propose to reformulate the Philoxenia programme?

Joint answerto Written Questions E-2861/01 and P-3025/01given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(5 December 2001)

On 13 November 2001, the Commission adopted a report entitled Follow-up of the European Council of 21 September: the situation in the European tourism sector(1) which deals with the impact of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States on European tourism in particular.

In this report the Commission emphasises that some of the measures proposed in its communication of 10 October 2001 on the Repercussions of the terrorist attacks in the United States on the air transport industry(2) also respond to requests made by the European tourism industry. It further comes to the conclusion that the challenge will be to develop a strategy for the European tourism sector that meets the medium and long-term political and economic challenges ahead.

Such strategy that also corresponds to the requests from the European tourism industry stakeholders for integration and cooperation should be met by the new cooperative approach for the tourism industry set out in the Commission communication of 13 November 2001 entitled Working together for the future of European tourism(3). The measures favoured under this approach aim at improving the integration of the concerns of all tourism stakeholders in Community policies and initiatives affecting tourism, and at promoting a better interface with the tourism industry and other parties involved. This approach does, however, not mean to reformulate the former proposal for a multiannual programme to assist European tourism (Philoxenia).

Since uncertainty remains, the Commission will continue to monitor the impact of current events on tourism and keep it under review. This will be done in cooperation with the Member States, the tourism industry, and the other stakeholders. But, despite the immediate crisis situation with which specific market segments, sectors and destinations are faced, measures which harm the long-term prospects for growth and competitiveness of the European tourism industry should be avoided.

(1) COM(2001) 668 final.

(2) COM(2001) 574 final.

(3) COM(2001) 665 final.